Beyond the Deadline: Creating an Accessible Learning Environment that Lasts
A guide for evaluating accessible learning technologies
It’s time for action on accessibility
The looming ADA Title II deadline has placed accessible learning content under the spotlight. In brief, this legislation stipulates that digital content must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, with deadlines in April of 2026 and 2027 depending on the size of the area in which your institution is based. Blackboard Ally is supporting hundreds of great colleges and universities working towards Title II compliance – in addition to the scalable content remediation offered by the tool, we have also published a Title II Strategy Guide and Playbook outlining key steps institutions can take to prepare for the changes.
However, accessibility is much better thought of as an opportunity than a responsibility. An opportunity to truly support students; to create a digital learning environment where all feel included and can participate equitably. And an opportunity to welcome new student demographics to your institution and build reputational advantage. To view accessible learning through a purely compliance lens is to miss all the benefits it can deliver.
This is why it’s crucial to choose the right technology partner. The Title II deadline has seen an influx of vendors offering a quick fix: automated tools marketed as a shortcut to compliance. Not only is their short-term efficacy often overstated, but these technologies aren’t designed to instill accessible behaviors among your faculty and staff – and thus, don’t deliver on the opportunity described in the paragraph above.
This guide maps out the key considerations when evaluating accessible learning technologies, covering both immediate and longer-term priorities. It outlines all the varied ways in which accessible content benefits your institution and, in so doing, will help you gauge what is most important and assess technology options accordingly.